1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for displaying a virtual slide photographed with a magnification capable of recognizing cell morphology, and a terminal device for displaying the virtual slide.
2. Background Art
In conventional blood cell examination, a method referred to “microscopic inspection” has been employed for visual observation under the microscope of a smear sample prepared by spreading blood as an inspection object on a slide glass. In this microscopic inspection, the smear sample is observed under a microscope and, for example, white blood cells found in a given area are subjected to classification count using an exclusive use classification counter in which classification items of the blood cells are allotted to each key. When abnormally shaped erythrocytes and platelets, or cells that are difficult to decide their classification items are found during the classification count work, the cells are photographed with a video camera mounted on the microscope. The images of the photographed blood cells are stored in a database of an image filing system together with attribute information such as medical record card numbers. The results of the classification counts as well as the stored images of the blood cells, if necessary, are printed out after the examination has been completed to obtain inspection results.
In the above-mentioned method, however, since the smear sample is visually inspected under a microscope, the examiner is required to examine the sample in a room where the microscope is provided. Accordingly, the examiner's work is disadvantageously restricted in a specified room.
An art for preparing a virtual microscopic slide after taking a photograph using microscope for pathological cytodiagnosis has been proposed in WO98/39728. Since the virtual microscopic slide can be delivered through an internet according to WO98/39728, it is possible to observe the virtual microscopic slide using a computer in which a prescribed program has been installed. Since the inspector's work is not restricted in a room where the microscope is provided by using the art described in the patent document described above, examinations are possible using the virtual microscope slide without any restriction of the room.
However, descriptions on neither the virtual microscope slide of blood sample nor conducting the classification count of the blood cells using the virtual microscope slide, as well no description of filing of the examined blood cell images, are found in WO98/39728. Also, WO98/39728 does not describe an art for retrieving the blood cells corresponding to the filed blood cell image from the virtual microscope slide. In the examination of the blood cells using the virtual microscope slide of the blood sample, a supervisor is required to re-classify after the examination when blood cells that are difficult to classify in the preceding examination emerges. Therefore, many blood cell images should be stored in the virtual microscope slide. When the classification items of the stored blood cell images are re-discriminated, information of cell images around the cell images to be examined, not only observing the cell's own images, are often required. However, the work for re-classification becomes complicated, when the corresponding cells are visually searched again from the virtual microscope slide and information around the cells and the like are confirmed.